Reviews Report
- AAA is well-known for its membership travel and discount offerings, and also for its insurance products, which include home, auto, and life.
- The auto club membership is separated into regional auto clubs, which determines the policy options and discounts available to each member.
- Third-party ratings, such as AM Best and J.D. Power customer satisfaction rankings are largely based on the individual performance of each regional auto club. This means reviews and rankings must be researched based on relevance to your location.
AAA, which stands for American Automobile Association, was founded in 1902 and is one of the most recognizable names for both auto and travel-related needs. What began as a small group lobbying for safer vehicles and fair driving laws has evolved into an organization with over 60 million members.
AAA not only offers membership programs for roadside assistance, travel, and discount programs, but it also offers a variety of insurance products. Through a AAA membership, members have access to auto, homeowners, and life insurance options. The membership is divided up into hundreds of regions, and members belong to each region based on their location. Some of these clubs receive high scores through J.D. Power and other customer service ratings, but each region maintains its own customer service and rewards programs.
AAA Insurance Overview
| J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Score J.D. Power scores are based on surveys for customer satisfaction and product quality. | AM Best Financial Strength AM Best rates insurance providers creditworthiness. Ratings are based on the provider’s ability to follow through with a payout when a consumer files a claim. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pin Auto insurance | Varies by club | Varies by club | |
| Pin Home insurance | Varies by club | Varies by club | |
| Pin Life insurance | N/A | A (Excellent) |
AAA Auto Insurance
Exact plans and coverage may vary depending on the region, but in some states, offerings of AAA auto insurance include three packages referred to as the essential, advantage, and ultimate plans. The essential plan offers basic coverage, plus small-claim forgiveness if a driver makes a claim for less than $750. The advantage plan builds on this, but also includes claim forgiveness loyalty if you remain claim-free for five years. Finally, the ultimate plan includes everything listed, in addition to the claims-free reward and disappearing deductible. In any case, you must pay a membership fee to be eligible for AAA auto insurance plans.
Some clubs, such as the AAA Auto Club of SoCal perform quite well with customer satisfaction ratings. This club earned 897 out of 1,000 points with the 2021 J.D. Power Auto Claims Satisfaction Survey.
Strengths: Where AAA auto insurance may set itself apart from other carriers is with the numerous discounts available to members. Plus the optional coverages — such as gap insurance and disappearing deductible — make the policies easier to customize for each driver’s needs.
Restrictions: Because availability, coverages, and discounts are varied from club to club, each potential member will need to confirm the options offered in their area. Plus, a driver must be a member of AAA to access the policies, although many may find the discounts and perks worth the annual membership price.
Discounts: AAA offers a range of discounts, although these may also differ depending on the region. Possible discounts include membership, paperless, advanced purchase, automatic draft, safety inspection, and safety equipment. Driver-specific discounts are plentiful as well, including those for students, young drivers, and those who bundle with other insurance products.
AAA Home Insurance
In addition to auto insurance, AAA offers homeowners insurance policies in many states. AAA home insurance maintains more than 1.6 million property and casualty policies, though coverages and options available depend on the location of a homeowner’s club membership. The home insurance coverage may be offered in two different plans, the advantage and the ultimate plan. Each plan offers standard homeowners protection but with policy enhancements, such as claims forgiveness and claims-free rewards. Discounts may help homeowners save, with many discounts based on bundling with auto and select life insurance policies, as well as lifestyle, and home features.
Strengths: Although exact coverage depends on location, homeowners may like the numerous options available to customize a homeowners policy with AAA. Optional coverages include water damage, earthquake, landscaping and yard coverage, scheduled personal property endorsements, and even home daycare coverage.
Restrictions: Each member must select the location nearest them to confirm the coverage and discount options available. While online quotes are available, you will need to speak to an agent to confirm the policy. Like auto insurance, a homeowner must be a member of AAA to receive the most discounts.
Discounts: Dwelling discounts include installing a hail-resistant roof, roof age verification discount, safety device, fortified home, and storm shutter discounts. There are also discounts available for smoke-free, claims-free, and mature homeowners. Other discounts may apply too, such as bundling and going paperless.
AAA Life Insurance
AAA offers two major types of life insurance policies: term and permanent life. The term life option features two different plans, including the ExpressTermLife. This plan allows you to find out within 10 minutes and through an online quote process if you qualify for coverage. Policies ranging from $25,000 to $500,000 and in 10, 15, 20, and 30 year terms are available through this plan. The Traditional Term Life option allows you to apply for $100,000 to $5 million in coverage, but you will work with an agent for the application and process. Term life policies provide a death benefit, should the policyholder pass away during the selected term period.
The permanent life insurance policies that may be available in select regions include whole life options, guaranteed issue whole life insurance, and universal life policies. Each policy can be written to meet individual financial needs, with optional add-ons, such as a disability waiver premium or child term.
Strengths: If you are a AAA member, you may be eligible for a 10% discount available for term life policies, depending on the location. AAA Life insurance receives an A (Excellent) rating from AM Best, highlighting the financial strength of the carrier. There are several policy options under the permanent life umbrella, including a number of riders to add to a policy for more robust payouts and financial protection.
Restrictions: An AAA member must go through the quote process based on where they live, taking into account that not all programs and discounts will be available. Most products require working with an agent for the application and activation process.
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About the Authors
Sara Coleman is a personal finance freelance writer based in Charlotte, NC. A Journalism Major who studied at the University of Georgia, she enjoys creating approachable content. She’s written for sites such as WorkingMother, BetterYouMag, and SmartMoneyMamas. She loves spending time with her husband and 3 kids, and has a healthy obsession with coffee.
